What’s in my makeup/emergency bag?

I like bags and have lots of purses, satchels, totes etc. And just like most women, I like having my lip balm and other assortment of basic makeup within reach. This end up turning into a bazillion lip balms/stick/gloss in a bazillion bags, so I never remember where I put a specific product. Yet, everytime I need something it just happen to be something I forgot to bring. My solution to it is a small makeup bag with all the essentials, so instead of having a bunch of things everywhere or transfer everything into a different bag each time, I just need to remember to take this one bag. Need to go out? Key, check. Wallet, check. Phone, check. Makeup bag, check.

I do most of my makeup in the morning, so what’s in my makeup bag are more for light touch up. Or if I suddenly need a bit of makeup on a no-makeup day. And since I’m more of a skincare addict than makeup addict, it’s more of an assortment of things:

Hand Cream – aside from helping you to clean up makeup, it can also be used to moisturize your hand. Do you know that aside from your face, your neck and hand are the next place to show signs of aging? Just like how it’s important to use proper skincare, remember to use hand cream after washing your hand!

Powder – most makeup can benefit from a little touch up around mid-afternoon. If you are getting a bit shiny, you can use mattifying powder or blotting paper. I usually just use a piece of toilet paper instead of blotting paper for oil, but I like powder the best because it also helps to blurr pores and imperfections a bit. Guerlain Les Voilettes does at least. It’s my favorite powder since it came with a super soft puff (some powder compact come with no applicator, why?!?!), mattifies and blurrs but feels weightless.

Facial Spray – just like how it is important to nourish your skin at night, it is important to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. My preference for which ones to use changes depending on the season and need, here are some I tried.

Hair tie, pins and clips – a bad hair day or hair all over the face when you are working is annoying. I don’t have thick hair, if you do you might want to carry a mini comb, but I just finger comb my hair back into a ponytail and get back to business.

Floss – ever had those moments where you were suppose to be in a meeting or doing something important and you just CANNOT get that piece of lunch stuck in your teeth? Even if no one sees it, it’s uncomfortable and drives me crazy. I like these individual floss because, eventho the rolls/normal ones are cheaper, I don’t want to put my hand in my mouth in public.

Highlighter Concealer Pen – they have enough coverage for touch ups, or to brighten/perk up your complexion. However, they are sheer enough that you can wipe on then blend with finger, no brush required for a natural no-makeup look. I actually like the Dior better than YSL and prefer a shade slightly lighter than my skintone. For swatches of Dior, YSL and Givenchy check out this post.

Eyeliner – for those days where you were makeup less but suddenly need to look presentable, or just want to oomph up your look abit. I like carrying a pencil liner I used down to travel size, or those small promo/GWP eyeliners that brand gives. Dual-ended eyeliners are great since you can use the darker color normally then the lighter color on the inner corner or bottom rim to brighten up the eyes.

Mini Perfume – it’s a nice subtle way to help lift my mood. I’ve got a ton of perfume samples, but most brands also sell set of mini perfumes around holiday seasons. Or if you already have a big bottle of your favorite, just get an atomizer and refill it whenever.

Mini Lipgloss – If it’s a special occasion then I will carry red lipstick, but for emergencies then MLBB it is (My Lips But Better lipsticks or gloss). The right MLBB will brighten up your complexion and make you look more put together without being too obvious, feel free to check out the Makeup Swatch Gallery for swatches.

Lip balm with SPF – a girl should never go out without SPF and dry lips are a no no. It doesn’t matter what amazing lip color you have, they always look better on moisturized lips. Aside from touch ups or no makeup days, I also tend to rub a little of it on dry skin patches in the winter (tip of nose, cuticles etc). Check out here for my favorite lip balms.

Bandaids – aside from the occasional scrapes or paper cuts, the more important purpose for me is to prevent shoes from chafing. Am I the only one who ALWAYS get painful red spots on the back of the heel from chafing when wearing ballerina flats in the summer? Some heels and sandals also chafs and the last thing I want to do is squirming around in meetings/dates when I’m suppose to look confident, so I always carry two with me.

Cotton Swab – great for cleaning up makeup. I usually use it dry or dampened with water, but do you know lotion also have a mild makeup removing ability? I add a dab of whatever cream/lotion I have to the cotton swab and it’s great at cleaning up smudged makeup. When I don’t have it, I just take a piece of toilet paper and folded into a cone/pointy thingy.

Only after I took the picture did I realize I forgot hand sanitizing wipes and travel pack of tissue paper, but I only take them for long flights, road trips and traveling (the wipes can be used on the body to freshen up when you are sweaty, and the tissue paper is a must in some foreign countries or when camping to use as toilet paper). There are two more things I need but intentionally did not take pictures of: small sanitary pads and Midol, you know what those are for and it sucks if you don’t have them when you need them. =X

So that is that, everything in my daily makeup/emergency bag. What is in yours? Anything to add?